Tag: marketing

With marijuana legalization spreading across the country the number of dispensaries that are opening is also on the rise. With rapid growth comes some fierce competition and that means that storefronts and dispensaries need to market their businesses and get in front their customers. Like any other business, customers of the marijuana industry do their research online. You need to get your online marketing strategy in order and working with the right digital marketing firm can help you stand out online. Here are the steps to market your dispensary online.

Start with Your Google Profile

You need to claim or set up your Google My Business listing, this will index your business and this is the first step in showing up in the Google Map results when someone searches for a dispensary in your area. Here is where you can claim your Google My Business page. Here are some tips on optimizing your page.

Create Your Social Media Accounts

Social media is how you build a relationship with new and existing customers; it can also do wonders to help your search engine rankings when done right. Once you identify your target market then get on the platforms that they use. At the very least you should be active on Facebook, it has the most engagement by far. Most digital marketing firms will also advise you to use Google+ as well. Now, you’re not going to get much in the way of engagement with Google+ but when you share your content here it will get indexed quickly.

Add Your Business to Relevant Directories

Online directories have essentially replaced the Yellow Pages, these are sites like Yelp, YP and Local. There are also directories that are related to the cannabis industry like Leafly, you want to have an optimized listing on all of the high quality directories.

Install Google Analytics

If you want to know where your traffic is coming from and which strategies are working for you then you need a way to track your traffic. Google Analytics is the easiest way to do this, and it is also free to use. It is easy to install and it will tell you exactly which channels your traffic is coming from. You can’t scale what you don’t measure.

Add Content Regularly

The fastest and easiest way to consistently add content to your website is with a blog. You can use your blog to keep your customers aware of what is going on in the industry. It can also be a way to let your customers know about upcoming promotions.

Encourage Reviews

Once you have added your business to Google My Business and sites like Yelp, encourage your customers to leave reviews of your products and services there. Customers today are more inclined to look at the reviews of a business before deciding on whether or not to spend money there. So good reviews are vital to your business continuing.

As more states legalize marijuana for medical and recreational use that means that competition in the dispensary industry is going to get fierce. Some business will get crushed by the competition while others will still be standing a decade from now. What is the difference between those that succeed and those that fail? The difference is branding and marketing. So how do you go about standing out in the dispensary industry? Let us show you.

Get Social

Cannabis customers use a bunch of different factors to decide which dispensary they are going to visit, but the first thing you have to do is get your dispensary in front of them, one of the ways to do that is through social media. Having long term employees that interact well with your customers on social media and in your dispensary is one of the keys to long term success. Encourage interaction on your social media channels and answer any and all inquiries there.

Design Your Brand

You need to make your first impression a memorable one, this will set the tone for any interaction with customers both at your dispensary and within your community. Branding is what gives customers something to remember you by and gives the customers an idea of what to expect from the products and services that you provide.

Don’t Overlook Interior Design

Don’t overlook the interior design scheme of your dispensary. You need to make your patrons feel comfortable and every aspect of your store design from the lobby to the way your products are displayed are key to a memorable experience in a dispensary. You want your customers to fall in love with your dispensary and keep coming back for more. You need to plan everything from the layout to what your staff is wearing while they serve customers. You need to figure out what your ideal customer is, are you catering to medical marijuana users or the recreational crowd.

Figure Out the Right Promotions

You not only need to get customers coming through your door you need to keep them coming back time and again. You need to use the right promotions that will draw your customers back. You can offer things like reward cards, or daily deals. You need things that people will remember. Use SMS marketing to send your customers regular updates of what is on sale and the promotions you’re running.

Have a Great Product

Don’t over look the importance of having a really good product, that alone will go along way to building a solid customer base that stays with you year after year. Cannabis users know their stuff, so put together a great product with excellent customer service and you will have a solid long term business.